Bloodthirsty

Teenage Finbar Frame, who suffers from the likes of bullies because of his geeky stature, soon becomes influenced by vampire romance novels.  He becomes a “vampire” himself to attract young gals — his one-way ticket to popularity.  Finbar’s journey as a “vampire” helps him to discover that he must be true to himself.

This novel is full of humor and charm.  The author depicts the characters as believable teens that want to fit in.  The message in this story is clear:  Sometimes one must go through difficult situations to realize what one has all along.  The novel motivates readers to be true to themselves and be truthful to others.  This story definitely leaves the reader satisfied.

— Maggie C.

A Refreshing Look at Renewable Energy with Max Axiom Super Scientist

This non-fiction graphic novel presents the topic of renewable energy in an easy to read and understand format.  The Table of Contents includes:  Where does energy come from?; What makes energy renewable?; Large-scale renewable energy; and New Roads in renewable energy.  Renewable energy source topics included are solar, wind, water, geothermal and biomass.  The mix of illustrations and pictures enhance and explain the text well.  There is an AR test (level 5.3, points .5).  The index and glossary are helpful features.

Frantastic Voyage

Frantastic Voyage is volume 5 of the Franny K. Stein series, an easy chapter book filled with just about as many illustrations as text space.  This book will be popular with reluctant readers and is geared more towards girls.  Franny is definitely not your typical girl, but considers herself right up there with her namesake.  Igor, her trusty lab assistant, plays a huge role in her mad science experiments.  Actually, kids who are science-oriented would probably be inspired by her thoughts of making her doomsday device and any of her other ideas, but the pun-ny humor and maniacal looks on Franny’s face are huge distractions.  I need to reserve judgment until I see how popular the book is, but for now, it looks like a book that is one that may be a hard sell.

Aesop’s Fables

This book may be little, but it’s very powerful.  Forty-seven fables from Aesop are featured, many with an accompanying black and white illustration.  The fables are short, but to the point, at the end of each is the lesson to be learned in bold-faced type.  Although short, each fable still gives the flavor of the characters and plot.  I like the fact that there are so many fables in just one book.  This is an excellent book for every school library but also as a resource for teachers.

The Mice of Nibbling Village

The Mice of Nibbling Village is a compilation of verses and accompanying illustration.  Each page features a different ‘citizen’ of Nibbling Village whose description is told in lovely, old-fashioned verse.  Children will love the quality of the words and the soothing tone as they view the lavishly detailed illustrations of each mouse in his/her abode.  The illustrations exactly match the verses and each mouse is seen as a person with similar qualities.  Very reminiscent of old English books for the primary-age child.

Unearthly Asylum

This series, The Joy of Spooking, sound like The Joy of Cooking, but actually it is very misleading, for a reason.  Joy is the name of the main character, and she together with her younger brother and mother and father, live in the town of Spooking, which lives up to it’s name.  Spooking used to be a vibrant little town but people had moved away and buildings fell into disrepair.  Strange stories began to circulate, people began avoiding even going to Spooking, and people began to be frightened.  This fright was brought on by loud booms heard in the dead of night, that people began to call ‘ghost cannons’ because they could never find the source of the disturbance.  This ‘ghost cannon’ was actually a rundown delivery truck making it’s routine stop at the local insane asylum.  The asylum was well cared for but the public was never allowed to see patients or the grounds, and for good reason.  The so-called doctor running the place had made a ‘deal’ for eternal life; he had discovered a mineral-laden water which extended youth for a very long time.  Along comes Octavio Phipps, a resident of Spooking who has a long history of family curses, who is trying to arrange for an investor to buy the asylum and make it into a luxury spa and resort.  Little does he know what is in store for him as he plants a former friend in the asylum to spy for him.  The whole book is action-packed, hilarious, and jaw-dropping.  Kids who love Lemony Snicket will love this series.  The humor is very subtle and the reader will have to slow down to actually hear how funny it is.  I loved it and will heartily recommend the series to other librarians.

Back to School Tortoise

Tortoise was so worried about his first day of school. What if he falls down? What if he doesn’t like lunch? What if he doesn’t make any friends? But he gets up the courage to go inside the building to announce, “Good Morning,” to everyone. They all respond back, “Good Morning Mr. Tortoise!” to their teacher.  Readers will love the twist at the end! The illustrations are full page, soft and cute.

The Christmas Pups

Soon after 3 puppies were left on the side of the road in a cardboard box, they were picked up and dropped off at a shelter. An older dog has told them it is Christmas Eve and people will want to adopt puppies this time of year. Ruff and Tuff decide to misbehave so their sister, Penny, will be picked to go to a good home. However, they are surprised when they all go to a home together. This story has a great “Disney” style ending! Illustrations are bright and sweet.

Wither

Rhine Ellery is a 16-year-old girl growing up in the dangerous world that the old generations have left for her.  In this world, women only grow to be twenty and men only twenty-five due to a genetic life-shortening pandemic.  In this first book of the Chemical Garden Trilogy, we experience what it is like for Rhine to be forced into the life of materialism and unwanted polygamy.

This novel will help readers understand the value of time and the years of life one is given.  The author writes in a matter-of-fact tone which adds to the seriousness of the way the reader interprets the story.  This story will compel the reader to go out and try new and different things in order to take advantage of the privilege we call life.  Sci-fi readers and those who just enjoy a good read will be satisfied with this profound novel.

— Tyler Z.

Black & White: The Confrontation between Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth and Eugene “Bull” Connor

This offers a thorough look at the Civil Rights movement through the opposing eyes of Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth and the Commissioner of Public Safety “Bull” Connor.  These giants of the 1950 and 60’s came head-to-head in the multiple conflicts such as the Bethel Baptist Church bombing, the Woolworth department-store lunch counter sit-in, attacks by the Ku Klux Klan, and other segregation issues.  The picture-book size, laden with photographs is kid-friendly for that student ready to find quick research.

Dolphins

Dolphins is 45 pages of interesting facts accompanied by stunning photographs of various species of dolphins in captivity and the wild.  The book is well-written and interesting, perfect for a student report.  The index and glossaries are helpful features.  I would have liked to see a page that showed a photograph of each of the 37 species of dolphins along with a few basic facts.  A world map that indicates the range of each species would also compliment this book well.

Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom

Frankie like to keep his bedroom messy. When his mother gives his permission to not clean his room, Frankie is on cloud nine (or cloud swine). His toys get stepped on, he runs out of clean clothes, he has nightmares about his mess, and his family complains about his aroma which makes him realize that he needs cleaning up as much as his room does. In the night, Frankie uses his imagination when cleaning his room, fighting off lava monsters, snakes, and other hazards. By morning, everything is back in its place, and Frankie sleeps soundly that night. This story is quite fun when Frankie uses his imagination because the story switches to a graphic novel.

Frankie Pickle and the Mathematical Menace

Frankie has trouble with his math and is quite concerned about the test he has to retake on Monday. He runs out of time all weekend long when his friend comes over to play several games of Yugimon, and he helps his mom shop for groceries. Then his sister plays football with him and he helps his dad with baking. Suddenly he realizes that his weekend is over and he hadn’t studied!! However, his parents make him realize he has been doing math all weekend long, every day math, and that he is perfectly ready for the test now. This story is quite fun when Frankie’s imagination takes off in comic book form!!

Curse of the Were-Wiener

Danny the dragon and his best friend Wendell the Iguana have quite the problem on their hands when Wendell is bitten from a school cafeteria hot dog, and suddenly starts growing back-hair. When the two sneak into the cafeteria to investigate, they find out that the hot dog labels are marked, “Were-Wieners, Product of Transylvania.” They call the 1-800 number on the package and are informed that there is an alpha wurst in the cafeteria, and all students who have been bitten by hot dogs will become its minions. With the help from the potato salad and rats from the sewer, the two arm themselves with silver skewers and slay the alpha wurst! This book is a chapter book that is mixed with illustrations and character voice bubbles, giving it a style that is a cross with a graphic novel that will entice reluctant readers.

Tara and the Talking Kitten Meet Angels and Fairies

Diana Cooper has written 5 books about Tara and her talking kitten, Ash-ting.  In the first chapters of this book, Tara meets her guardian angel who protects her.  “Uncle” Steve came to visit and made Tara and her sister, Mel, very uncomfortable.  Both Ash-ting and her guardian angel encourage Tara to tell her parents.  As she gets to know her guardian angel, the angel helps her relax when struggling to read and protects her from danger when she forgets Dad’s warnings when riding her bike.  Tara and Ash-ting meet fairies, elves, pixies, and brownies.  With their help, she is able to save an old oak tree from being cut down to make room for a new road.  The author writes from her personal experiences, but the overall message is to empower one’s self to help others and how to handle difficult situations.  Diana Cooper has a website about the topics in this book.  A publisher website includes discussion points in the Children’s Corner.  School libraries in conservative districts should preview this series before purchasing.

Recipe and Craft Guide to China

Joanne Mattern begins with interesting information in her introduction to traditional China.  She discusses Chinese cooking and variations of cuisine within the different climates from north to south.  Eleven recipes include rice and noodle dishes, dumplings, desserts, holiday foods, and tea.  Ingredients and instructions are clear.  When adult assistance is indicated, the text is bold.  Ingredients can easily be found in most grocery stores.  There are colorful photographs of each dish.

Directions for creating successful crafts include hints for gathering materials, preparing, and having fun while being creative.  Materials for each craft are common in most homes or easily purchased.  Instructions are fairly clear.  Photo show some steps in the process and the finished product.  However, the instructions for the kite are confusing.  Some materials were listed but not included in the instructions.  Photographs did not show the kite described.  Information about China and the recipes are excellent.  I recommend this book on that alone.  The craft section is weaker, but each craft can be easily managed by grade school aged children.  There is an extensive list for further reading and several internet sites.  This book is a great resource.

Principals

This book examines the role of principal in a school.  It is one of six in the school edition of ABDO’s Going to Work series.  Principals is written simply but with enough information for a 2nd to 4th grader interested in the topic.  This book is full of colorful and complimentary photographs of principals doing various tasks around the school setting, giving the impression of approachability of principals.   There is a glossary, index and table of contents.

Artsy-Fartsy

This is the first in a fun series reminiscent of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books in format and style.  The unique angle of this book is that it incorporates and defines words which begin with the letter “A”.  Each book in the series focuses on a subsequent letter in the alphabet with definitions in the back.  The second book is titled Bogus while the third is titled CahootsArtsy-Fartsy is written in the context of a mystery, in which the main character, 10 year-old Aldo, receives a red letter sketchbook from his Grandmother so he can draw in it as a summer activity.  Aldo and his buddy Jack discover a great big tree with boughs which hang low and make it a great “fort”.  They fill their new fort with comforts and Aldo hide his notebook there.  Pretty quickly he finds that his notebook had been discovered as mystery drawings appear.  The boys spend most of the story trying to figure out who is getting into their fort and drawing in the notebook.  There are sketches throughout the book which comically illustrate the entertaining antics of the characters.  Written at AR level 3.8, it’s an easy read that could appeal to a wide range of ages from mid-elementary through middle school.

The Sunflower Sword

The illustrations make this picture book especially appealing as we follow a young boy with a colander on his head who spends his day imaging battles with dragons using the sunflower his mother gave him for a sword.  Imagination takes flight in bright and cheerful illustrations which fill the page with whimsical images.  Suddenly the boy encounters a read dragon who mistakes the sunflower for a gift and gives the boy a ride on his back.  By the end, other knights join our hero.  They each put down their sword, pick up a sunflower gift for a dragon and hop on its back for a ride into the blue sky.

Will It Be a Baby Brother?

This book will especially appeal to a child whose mother is expecting a baby.  Little Edward really wants a little brother but finds his parents are right and he is delighted with his new baby sister when she finally comes.  Sweet and genuine, this darling picture book captures the view of a typical older sibling-to-be waiting in anticipation for the new addition to the family.

The Rogue Crew

This book in the Redwall series stood out as unique from the others in that it was more like a separate story with mainly new characters.  Martin the Warrior was present in the plot but many new characters were introduced.  The main character in the Redwall books are typically quite well-developed.  However, in this book, that was not so much the case.  It was an entertaining and exciting story as usual which earns a recommendation for adding to a school library collection.

The Lost Children

An interesting combination of fantasy, science fiction and horror, this book is hard to put down.  Although the cover art implies a 3rd or 4th grade reader, the content is definitely for older readers (5th – 7th grade).  In this story, a 12 year old girl named Josephine lives an unhappy life with a father who ignores her completely and without friends.  When a little boy who also doesn’t speak arrives at her remote house seemingly out of no where with ragged clothes, she is confused but thankful for a friend.  He stays for a short time then disappears back into the run down shed in the back yard.  In looking for the boy in the shed, Josephine tumbles into a void and another world full of danger and life-gobbling monsters.  Will Josephine ever make it out of this perilous world to get home and does she really want to leave her new friends for the life she left behind?  Read to find out!